Head Games

Things to think about - and not think about - next time you play

Everyone’s looking for a quick fix — a piece of equipment or a two-minute training session that will suddenly transform them from an 18-handicapper into a borderline tour professional. Alas, golf, like life, doesn’t work that way. Whether you’re a talented pro with a full-time coach, or a struggling amateur using second-hand clubs, the only way to make a lasting, significant change to your golf swing is through dedication, repetition and concentration. With this in mind, we asked three PGA of Ontario professionals for specific advice on what any one of us can do, on a regular basis, to improve various aspects of our game.

I think we all can agree that putting is one of the most rewarding and frustrating parts of the game. There are all kinds of teaching aids, putting methods and products out there to help and confuse you. I believe it is essential to get back to basics. Can you start your putts on line and can you do it consistently? Here’s a simple tip you can do anywhere to test that ability.

Now that the penny has been rendered virtually useless, grab a couple and take them to the green. Drop one down three feet in front of you. Go through your routine as you would on the course and line up with the penny. Hit the putt and try to roll it over the penny. Focus on that tiny target and deliver the putter with the face square to the penny. I don’t care how you do it, but you should be able to roll it over that penny time and time again.

Now go to a hole with a relatively straight putt and set up about six feet away. Put down the penny on your target line three feet in front of you. Go through your routine and roll the ball over the penny towards the hole. With the right speed and line it will go in almost every time.

Now do the same for a 10-foot putt and then 20. You will be amazed how many putts you make when you roll the ball over the penny consistently.

When hitting any shot in golf, take the time to visualize yourself executing the stroke successfully before you pull the trigger. This simple process — one that is all too often overlooked — can offer a reliable mental space for you to inhabit as you prepare to face any given shot. Whether it’s a putt or a full swing, get used to imagining positive outcomes as part of your pre-shot routine. You will have fewer negative thoughts, your body will feel less tense and you’ll be more likely to pull off the shot you intended.

Replace negative feelings with positive images. Negative memories and fearful thoughts can plague performance. People have a natural tendency to sense moments that remind us of failure and to want to “run away” from those moments. By imagining positives, you block the uncontrolled mind from being afraid of a stroke that you might miss. Work to remember positive memories — perhaps from playing that hole on a previous occasion or of executing the same type of shot that you now need to play. Make imagined memories feel “real.” Take the time to imagine great shots and your mind will be able to recall them as being real. The more you involve your senses when you imagine, the more real the memories will feel. Have you ever had dreams that felt totally real?

“Do” and “don’t” can both affect your brain and your performance. The mind will direct the body toward that which you choose to focus on — positive or negative. Focus your attention on desirable outcomes — what you “do” want to make happen — as opposed to where you “don’t” want to go. People tend to get very good at things they do with great frequency. Similarly, you can improve skills like visualization and imagery with frequent practice. Furthermore, the more you practice skills that impact performance, the better you’ll get at performing.

Why is it that when we watch the best men and women in the world play golf on TV, they seemingly always recover for par after they miss a green, whereas most amateurs almost never get up and down? There are two main reasons: club selection and technique.

I’m astounded at how many higher handicappers choose the wrong club for the job around the green, either using a highly lofted wedge when they have a lot of green to cover and no obstacles to traverse, or choosing something like a seven-iron when they have little room to work with and ideally need to stop the ball quickly. Amateurs need to wean themselves off of using a favourite club for all situations and refine both their bump-and-run and flop-shot techniques to suit the circumstances, otherwise they’re simply throwing shots away for no good reason. Besides, practicing shots you are hesitant to normally attempt is never a bad idea.

As far as technique is concerned, the setup, as with most golf shots, is critical. When chipping, place most of your weight on your leading thigh. This will help you keep your hands ahead of the ball through the swing and promote solid contact. Next, maintain the triangle that is created through your arms and shoulders throughout the motion. This will also help you keep the clubface square through impact and start the ball on your target line.

When pitching or flopping the ball, try to finish hard to the left (for a right-handed player) to maintain the openness of the face. This requires a bigger swing, but the loft and the open face will keep the ball short and land it softy if you strike it cleanly.

And please do not decelerate on either shot! It’s one of the most common mistakes I see with higher handicappers.